Print Email Facebook Twitter Stress Intensity Factors for Fatigue Crack Growth Analysis Title Stress Intensity Factors for Fatigue Crack Growth Analysis Author Chrysafopoulos, D. Contributor Bijlaard, F.S.K. (mentor) Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences Department Structural Engineering Date 2014-11-17 Abstract Fatigue loads and failures in metallic structures are a well-known technical problem. Commonly, the fatigue life of the steel elements is determined by an analytical calculation using S-N curves as design resistance to periodic action. However, the technological improvements in almost all structures continuously stretch the limits of acceptance levels of flaws in structures. Consequently, crack growth control might provide an assessment tool in lifetime predictions. BS 7910 provides a general procedure to predict fatigue crack growth commonly addressed as fracture mechanics fatigue assessment. It is based on the well-known Paris Law relationship which relates the crack growth rates to the stress intensity factor range. BS 7910 provides a library of SIF solutions to support this procedure. However, several limitations are contained which trigger research for possible extensions Furthermore, it is common that a more sophisticated method than the analytical is usually required to predict fatigue crack growth. FEM, as one of the most sophisticated numerical methods; it is widely used as a tool to predict fatigue life. From this, stems the need for research on the FEM to predict fatigue crack growth. The purpose of the present thesis is to present these topics, evaluate the current status and examine possible extensions. At first, the terminology related to fracture mechanics and fatigue crack growth is explained and an evaluation of the current BS 7910 stress intensity factor solutions is conducted. Then, the results of a research on new SIF solutions outside the limitations of BS 7910 based on FEM analyses are presented. At the end of the thesis, a study on the various numerical and analytical techniques to perform a fatigue crack growth analysis is conducted. Subject Finite ElementFatigueStress Intensity Factor To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f3c96702-a74d-4295-9806-e142b423f97a Part of collection Student theses Document type master thesis Rights (c) 2014 Chrysafopoulos, D. Files PDF Thesis_D.Chrysafopoulos_Final.pdf 2.87 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:f3c96702-a74d-4295-9806-e142b423f97a/datastream/OBJ/view